Attachment of a stainless steel outerbody to a glass reinforced plastic inner body
AssigneeDelorean Research Limited Partnership
InventorColin R. Spooner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a structure comprising an inner molded glass reinforced plastic body and an outer shell of sheet material the sheet material is affixed to the body by at least one in-fill panel, the panel bonded to the body and the sheet material attached to the SMC panel by a plurality of self threading fasteners.
Claims12
A structure comprising:
- (a) an inner molded plastic body made of glass reinforced plastic;
- (b) an outer shell of at least one panel of sheet metal affixed thereto;
- (c) channels formed in said molded plastic body for receiving in-fill panels;
- (d) at least one in-fill panel attached to said inner body and extending out therefrom, said in-fill panel having generally an "L" shape, the base of said "L" adapted to rest in said channel with the other portion of said "L" shaped panel projecting therefrom and providing a surface to which said sheet metal may be connected;
- and
- (e) means connecting said sheet metal to said in-fill panel.
An arrangement for attaching a sheet metal outer body to an inner molded plastic body directly, said sheet metal wrapping around and cladding said body and over most parts of said body being spaced therefrom, comprising:
- (a) said sheet metal being bent, at the point of desired contact so as to form a flange contacting said molded plastic body with a portion of said sheet metal remote from said flange spaced from said body;
- (b) a hole formed in said sheet metal at the desired point of attachment;
- a rivnut embedded in said molded plastic body at the desired point of attachment;
- (c) a bolt passing through said hole and threaded into said rivnut;
- (d) a lock washer between said bolt and sheet metal material, said bolt and lock washer securing said sheet metal against said molded plastic body;
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- (e) resilient bumpers attached to said body at points of close contact with said sheet metal to absorb minor shocks.
A method of directly attaching a sheet metal outer body panel to a molded plastic inner body, said sheet metal wrapping around and cladding said body and over most parts of said body being spaced therefrom, comprising:
- (a) forming a hole in the plastic body at the desired point of fixing;
- (b) inserting a rivnut in said hole so as to be rigidly attached to said body;
- (c) forming a flange containing a hole at the point of desired attachment on said sheet metal panel;
- (d) attaching said sheet metal panel to said molded plastic body utilizing a bolt extending through said hole in said panel into said rivnut with a lock washer between the head of said bolt and said panel;
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- (e) disposing resilient bumpers between said body and said sheet metal at points of close contact to absorb minor shocks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.